Bracelet link



0. FESSLER.

BRACELET LINK. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1919.

Patented July 111, 1922.

INVENTORJ ATTORNEY.

FATENT @FFfiE.

OTTO FESSLER, 0F IRVING'I'ON, NEW JERSEY.

BnAoELn'r' LINK.

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO FESSLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Irvington, in the county. of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bracelet Links, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to links comprising opposite connected side parts, called the bean, and a middle part which may or may not be longitudinally slidable with re spect to the side parts, the construction being one that is frequently employed in extension bracelets or bracelets in which the links can stretch.

The objects of the invention are to secure a smooth continuous exterior surface of the middle part or strip of the link, flush with the opposite side'parts; to thus secure a neat and pleasing appearance, and at the same time secure a proper working relation between said parts; to do this'by swaging out of'the middle part of the link edge lugs -0r ears which shall project into theopposite side parts of the link; to form such lugs or ears without impairing-the outer surface of the middle part of the link; to so arrange such ears or lugs along the blank for said middle part of the link that the middle part when formed will be either fast or slidable with respect to the rest of the link, as desired; to thus enable the same blank to be employed for the two different kinds of links; to thus secure economy and convenience, and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the followingqdescription. I

eferring to'the accompanying drawing,

'in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views. Figure 1 is a plan of the outer side surface of the blank for the middle part of a link of my improved construction;

Figure 2 is a view of the inner side sura Y Figure 3 is an edge view of the blank; Figure 4 is a plan of a complete link; Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5, s-

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section on line the linkin edge view, and

In the specific embodiment of the inven- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Apri1 4.,

Patented July 11, 1922 1919. Serial No. 287,460.

tion shown in said drawings, 1, 1 indicate the side parts of the link stamped out of sheet metal each in dished form as shown in Figure 5, and having at one end an integral connection 2 while at the other end they are connected by engaging members 3, 4.

Between said side parts 1, 1 is arranged the middle part 5 (or 15) of the link, which is bent up out of a sheet metal strip or blank 6 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Thisblank has one of its side surfaces smooth or continuous, but out of the other side surface projection or ears are formed by swaging which projects beyond the edge of the main portion 7 of the strip, said main portion being just wide enough to slidably fit between the side parts 1, 1 of the link. Figures 3 and 2 show in edge view and looking at the surface of the blank which is inside the middle part of the link, .how the ears are stamped or swaged out, and it will-be seen that there are two pairs of cars, 8, 8 and 9, 9, spaced along the length of the blank.

These ears when the blank is bent into the finished middle part project into the dished side parts 1, 1 and retain said middle part against displacement laterally from between the side parts 1, 1, it being understood that the outer surface of the closed sidev of the middle part lies flush with the side parts 1, 1. At theother side of the middle part one of the ends of the strip or blank 6 from which it is formed is bent into a resilient tonguelO (or 13) and the other end is bent intoakeeper 11 (or 14) against which the tongue 10 normally lies and yet can be displaced inward therefrom so that a snap hook is provided.

The two sets of cars 8, 8 and 9, 9 are so spaced with respect to each other and with respect to the length of the blank 6 that if the end of the blank next the longer ears 8, 8 is formed into the keeper 11 and .the other end into the tongue 10, the long lugs 8, 8 lie at the closed side of the middle part 5, as shown in Figure 6, and the short ears 9, 9 lie at the opposite side. Under these circumstances the middle part 5 can slide with respect to the rest of the link, and if a spring 12 is inserted as is common in the art an extension link is provided. On the other hand, if the end of the blank 6 next the long lugs 8, 8 is formed into a tongue 13 and the opposite end into a keeper 14, as shown in Figure 7, the short ears 9, 9 abut against one end of the body part of the link and the long ears 8, 8 extend around thecurvedopposite end of the middle part of the link and bear against the portion of the next link, (not shown), which passes through the link described, so that there can be no sliding motion of the middle part 15 of the link. This forms what is called a dead link, or one having its middle part fixed or stationary with respect to the side parts, while the link shown in Figure 6 is what is known as a live link, and it is a feature of my invention that the same blank can be employed for forming both kinds of links.

Whichever kind of middle part of a link is made from my blank, however, the ears 8, 8 and 9, 9 project beneath theedges of the dished side portions 1, 1 and hold the middle part firmly and accurately in position with its smooth continuous outer surface flush with the edges of the side parts 1, 1, so that a link of high finish and artistic appearance is secured. WVhile I have'shown myimproved construction applied to a particular kind of links, obvious y the invention can be utilized for any purpose to which it is adapted and I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself except as required by the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is.

1. In a link of the character described, the combination with opposite side parts having their adjacent faces recessed, of a middle part'between said side parts in the form of a looped strip having at its lateral edges ears offset inwardly from that portion of its outer surface between said ears and projecting into the recesses of said side parts to hold the middle part against displace ment from between the side parts.

'2. In a link of the character described, the combination with opposite side parts having their adjacent faces recessed, of a middle part between said side parts in the form of a looped strip having at its lateral edges ears oflset inwardly from that portion of its outer surface between said care, said ears projecting into therecesses of said side parts to hold the middle part against displacement from between the side parts, and

said portion of the outer surface of the middle part between said 'earsbeing continuous and flush with the ad acent portions of its outer surface.

' 3. In a link of the character described,

the combination with opposite side. parts having their ad acent faces recessed, of a middle part between said side parts in the form of a looped strip having at its lateral edges-ears offset inwardly from that portion of its outer surface between said ears,

1 ,aaaaee said ears projecting into the recesses of said side parts to hold the middle part against displacement from between the side parts, and said portion of the outer surface of the middle part between said ears being substantially flush with the edges of the side parts.

t. The method of forming either a slidable middle part or a fixed middle part for links of the character described from a strip having at its edge a lateral projection adapted to extend into the recess of one of the side parts of the link, which method consists in making the keeperfrom that portion of the strip at one side of said projecofthe middle part from between the side parts in eitherv direction.

6. A middle part for links of the character described, comprising a looped strip having at spaced points of its length integral cars at its lateral edges-offset in the direction of the thickness of the strip inwardly from its outer surface and adapted to extend into the recesses of the side parts of the linkto prevent edgewise displacement of the middle part from between the side parts in either direction.

7. A middle part for links of the character described, comprising. a looped strip having a lateral projection at one of its edges offset inwardly from that portion of the outer surface of thestrip which is in alinement withsaid projection transversely of the strip, said projection adapted to extend into the recess of one of the side parts ofthe link and hold the middle partaga-inst displacement.

SrA middle part for links of the character described, comprising a looped strip having its opposite longitudinal portions each provided with a lateral, projection adapted to extend into the recesses of the side parts of the link and hold the middle part against displacement, said projections being offset inwardly from the outersurface of the middle part.

'9. A blank for a mifddlepart for links of l the character described, comprising a strip having at spaced pointsof its length: lateral edge projections for extending into the recess of the side parts of the link and holding the middle part against displacement, said projections being ofiset from both sides of the strip. V

10. A blank for a middle part for links of the character described, comprising a strip having at spaced points of its length integral ears projecting from the edge of the strip and adapted to extend into the recess of the side parts of the link and hold the middle part against displacement, said ears being offset from both sides of the strip.

11. A blank for a middle part for links of the character described comprising a strip having at spaced points of its length pairs of opposite lateral projections for ex tending into the recesses of the side parts of the link and holding the middle part against displacement, said projections being offset inwardly from both sides of the strip.

12. A blank for a middle part for links of the character described, comprising a strip having at one of its edges a lateral projection oifset inwardly from both sides of the strip and adapted to extend into a recess of the side parts of the link to position the middle part with respect thereto.

13. A blank for a middle part for links of the character described, comprising a strip having at one of its edges an integral ear ofiset inwardly from both sides of the strip and adapted to extend into a recess of the side parts of the link to position the middle part with respect thereto.

OTTO FESSLER. 

